SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2017 Australia take command over Czechs MELBOURNE: Nick Kyrgios conceded just splitting the opening day singles. Kyrgios, rubbers against Satral, who was making his lead is even better,” Thompson said. “There seven games in powering Australia to a 2-0 who was fined US$5,500 for swearing and Davis Cup debut. were some nerves at the start, but I was just rubber lead over the Czech Republic after the throwing his racquet after a stormy second Thompson was handed his debut by cap- glad the balls were coming off the racquet first day of the Davis Cup World Group tie in round exit to Andreas Seppi at last month’s tain Hewitt after the 27th-ranked Bernard nicely.” Vesely said ahead of the clash: “It’s Melbourne yesterday. The controversial world Australian Open, showed no signs of such Tomic made himself unavailable, citing sched- something new for me, I’ve never started a number 15 took just 95 minutes to reel off a volatile behavior under the watchful eye of uling issues, while Vesely took over as the tie before so it’s definitely a new experience 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over the 157th-ranked Jan Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt. top-ranked Czech player following the for me.”It is the eighth meeting in Davis Cup Satral and consolidate Australia’s grip on the His big-hitting game overwhelmed the unavailability of world number ten Tomas for the two nations with Australia leading 7-1. tie on hardcourt at Kooyong. hapless Satral although he needed six match Berdych. The young Australian began well Australia won their last meeting 3-2 at the Rookie Jordan Thompson upset Czech points to finally put away the Czech. Kyrgios with a break in the opening game and had same stage two years ago in Ostrava. number one Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the won just his third live Davis Cup rubber for few problems with the shaky Czech left-han- Australia lost in the first round last year, but opening singles match in two hours and six Australia following earlier victories in World der making five service breaks. “It’s the defeated Slovakia in a play-off to maintain minutes. Thompson, 22 and ranked 65, made Group play-off ties against Uzbekistan’s biggest moment in my career, the summer their World Group status, while Czech surprisingly light work of the 54th-ranked Denis Istomin in 2014 and Andrej Martin in has been pretty good, but playing for your Republic reached last year’s quarter-finals but Vesely to sink the Czech Republic’s hopes of 2016.He improved his record to 5-3 in singles country is amazing and getting us off to a 1-0 fell to France. — AFP Iran bans US wrestlers TEHRAN: Iran yesterday banned US wrestlers from participat- ing in the Freestyle World Cup competition this month in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order forbid- ding visas for Iranians, according to an official IRNA news agency report. IRNA quoted Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying a special committee reviewed the case and “Eventually the visit by the US freestyle wrestling team was opposed.” The decision marks the first action taken by Iran in response to Trump’s executive order banning visas for seven Muslim countries. Earlier this week, Iran said it would take retaliatory action. Ghasemi said the policy of the new US administration left Iran no other choice but to ban the wrestlers. The competition in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah is scheduled for Feb 16-17. USA Wrestling had said it would send a team to the Freestyle World Cup, one of the most prestigious competitions in international wrestling. US freestyle wrestlers have competed in Iran since the 1998 Takhti Cup in Tehran following an absence of nearly 20 years. Since then, Americans have attended Iran-hosted wrestling competitions 15 times. Iranians, for their part, have made 16 visits to the US as guests of USA Wrestling since the 1990s. The American athletes were warmly welcomed by Iranians and sport centers were packed as they appeared on the mats to compete. Wrestling is extremely popular in Iran and is root- ed in an ancient practice of combining the sport with other physical education and meditation. — AP Woods withdraws from Dubai-with back spasm DUBAI: Former world number one Tiger Woods has with- drawn from the EPGA Dubai Desert Classic before the start of the second round due to a back injury. A back spasm overnight failed to subside forcing the 14-time major winner to concede he could not compete as his comeback struggles continue. The 41-year-old Woods shot a five-over par 77 on TOKYO: Richard Gasquet of France hits a return against Taro Daniel of Japan during their Davis Cup tennis world group Thursday but insisted he wasn’t in any pain. “No, I wasn’t in first round match between Japan and France in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP pain at all. I was just trying to hit shots and I wasn’t doing a very good job,” the American said. His manager Mark Steinberg told reporters in Dubai that it wasn’t the nerve issue France batter Japan that kept Woods out of the game for 16 months before his return late last year, but back spasms. “He felt okay coming off the golf course yesterday (Thursday). So he wasn’t in pain. I didn’t see him at dinner, but in Davis Cup singles he said he was okay,” explained Steinberg. “He then went into a spasm in his lower back, fairly late last night after dinner. “He tried to work it out last night. Didn’t really get it worked out. TOKYO: France took an early strangle- team a 2-0 lead. “Two wins in straight by a thread and Wimbledon champi- Had treatment starting pretty early this morning, for probably hold on their Davis Cup first-round tie sets, nothing to complain about-but ons Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas the past three, three-and-a-half hours, and he can’t get the against Japan yesterday as Richard we have to stay ready in the doubles Mahut will look to complete the victo- spasm to settle. “He says it’s not the nerve pain that’s kept him Gasquet and Gilles Simon dominated tomorrow.” World number 18 Gasquet ry when they take on Yuichi Sugita and out for so long. He says it’s a back spasm and he just can’t get the opening day’s singles matches. was gifted victory after two hours Yasutaka Uchiyama in today’s doubles. the spasm to calm down. So that’s where we are. Former Wimbledon semi-finalist when Daniel coughed up a seventh “I’m pretty confident for the doubles “He talked to Matthew (Fitzpatrick) and Danny (Willett), Gasquet swept past Taro Daniel 6-2, 6- double-fault of the match. tomorrow,” said Simon. and he feels terrible for the tournament. “He can move 3, 6-2 in Tokyo before Simon overpow- “I’m in great shape. Today was a “But in tennis you never know so we around. But he can’t make a full rotation on the swing.” ered Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to great match for me,” purred the have to stay focused.” France have Woods was scheduled to take a week off after Dubai and put the visitors firmly in control of the Frenchman. “I was the favorite but I’ve won all three of their previous Davis then play two successive weeks on the PGA Tour-at the World group clash. “It was difficult lost a few matches against guys ranked Cup meetings with Japan, the last of Genesis Open and Honda Classic. But Steinberg did not today from the first point,” insisted in the 100s. There can always be sur- those coming at Roland Garros in 1981. comment about Woods’ status for those two tournaments. “I world number 24 Simon, despite con- prises so you have to get the job Japan’s best Davis Cup result was a think spasms are a funny thing. I’m certainly no doctor but siderable evidence to the contrary. done.” Japan never seriously posed a runner-up finish in 1921. they come and go. And again, the fact that he feels as “I was moving good and hitting well threat in the absence of world number They returned to the World Group though it’s not the nerve pain, that’s very encouraging for and found a good rhythm,” he added five Kei Nishikori. in 2011 after 26 years languishing at him,” he added. — AFP after giving Yannick Noah’s French The home side’s hopes now hang the regional level. — AFP .